San Francisco’s Frameline Film Festival has always held a special place in Colman Domingo’s life. “It’s embedded in my heart,” he said. Having lived in San Francisco from 1991-2001, the actor spent many summers at the festival, reveling in its film programming, particularly the short films.
As Pride Month came to a close, Domingo returned to the Bay Area and the Castro Theater for the festival’s closing night, where he was honored with Variety’s Creative Conscience Award. Given how much the festival meant to Domingo, it was fitting that he received the honor as Frameline celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Outside the theater, a small crowd patiently awaited his arrival. It grew once Domingo arrived, but the attendees weren’t all strangers; many were familiar faces from his past, including his days as a regional theater actor, a local talent and a rising star. They gathered to congratulate and greet him, creating an emotional moment for Domingo.
Inside, Domingo sat in conversation, in partnership with the Frameline Film Festival, with Variety’s senior artisans editor, Jazz Tangcay, to share his journey.
The Bay Area wasn’t just professionally significant to Domingo; it also held personal importance. It was where he met his husband, Raul Domingo. The couple first connected after spotting each other outside a Walgreens in Berkeley, with Domingo making an effort to find “this mysterious man” through a Missed Connections post. While this element of their story is well-known, Domingo revealed that they had actually met once before — encountering each other in an elevator at Domingo’s agent’s office — but neither realized it until recently. Their meeting was destined.
